Ver, 2 7. the bib Lbapter to the ROMAN S. 257 thee, and firm him with aperfe27 heart, and a milling mind : for the Lord ail hearts, and aenderffaeedeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. A man cannot fincerely frame him - felf to the fervice of God, nnles hedoth firft believe him to know all things, even our very thoughts, yea the imaginations of the thoughts; the firfi motions oftlte foul which feton men to do what they do; fo Prov. 15. t e. Helland defirxíliot are before the Lord, howmuch more the hearts of the children of men? He compareth two things which are molt unknown to us, The (late of the dead, and the hearts of men. God knoweth all thofe that are io Sheol, the ftate,of the dead, though they are unknown or .forgotten by the molt of men5 we know not what is become of the bodies or fouls of men, the number of the damned or the bleßèd: But 'God keepeth an exah Ci account of all, he knoweth where their fouls are, and their bodies alto, what is become,of their duff; and how to reihre to every one theirown flefh. And as he knoweth who are in the ftate of the dead, fo what are the thoughts and hearts of men now alive. The thoughts of the heart are hidden from us, till they be revealed by word or aftion 5 Who can know our thought.? What more fwift and fudden ? What more various ? What more hidden than our thoughts? yet he knoweth them, not by guejs or interpretation, but by immediate in- fpe &ion ; he feeth them before they are manifefwed by any overoaa; he knoweth with what hopes, and confidences, and aims, we are carried on in whole name we aft ; and upon what principles and ends. Again Jer. 17. 9, lg. The heart of .man is deceitful, and del rerately wicked, Who can know it? I the Lord fcarsh the heart, and try the reins, even to give every man according to his mayes, and according to his doings. The heart of man is altogether unknown to others, and very hai:d and difficult to be difcovered by our felves, there are fo many flights, and fhifts, and circuits, and turnings to conceal and colour our aflions. But there is no beguiling of God, who hath an eye to difcover the eno(i; ferret motions, and inward intentions, and will accordingly deal with men according to their deferts. But the Scripture doth not only of er , but argue this point. 1. From the Immenfty and greatnef of Gods God is in all, and above all, and beyond all no where included, no where excluded. And fo his Omniprefence doth eflabli(li the belief of his Omnifciency, Jer. 23. 23, 24. Am I a God at hand, and not aGod afar of? do not I fill heaven and earth ? can any hide himfélf where I fhallnot fie him ? Gtyi is every where, here where you are nearer and more intrinfick to us, than our very fouls. Therefore all we think, fpeak or do, is better known to him than it is to our felves; We do all as in his fight,fopeak all as in his hearing, think all as in his prefence; that which can be abfent is not Gorki you may be far from him, but he is not far from every one of you. !e 2. From Creation. He bath made our hearts, and therefore knoweth our hearts, Pfal. 94. 9, to. He that pryntcd the car, /hall not he hear ? he that formed the eye, fsall not he fee furely be that made min, knoweth what is in man, and obfèrveth, what they do. ,The fame Argument is urged,Psal.t39.t3. Thou hail prffffed my reins, for thou haft covered me in my mothers womb. And again Pfal.33.15. He fafbioneth their hearts alike, he songdereth all their thoughts. He that bath fo much wifdom, to give you the power to,thitlt, knoweth tbi,e acts; if he bath given knowledge to the Creatures, He himtelf bath it in,a more eminent degree; nothing can be concealed from him, who path Creating power : As he bath Created all alike, he is able todifcern them feverally one by one, and to underftand all the operations of their very hearts. 3. From Gods government, which is twofold.Firft,Powerfrrl,by his effeáual providence, as he governeth all Creatures. Secondly, Moral, by his laws, as he governeth the reafo- nable Creature. ,Both infer the point in hand., t. The government of his e ffetlual providence, which is neceffary to all our affirms for in him we live, move, and have our being, ,d¿Is 17. 28. all things move as he moveth them, in their natural agency; the Creature can do nothing without him, and.ahually doth all things by him; his wifdom guideth, his will intendeth, his power moveth and difpofeth all. This is urged, Pfal. i 3a. to. Pi hand leadeth us, his ruse hand holdeih no up whereever we go; That is, we are bill fupported by his providential inUucnce, and therefore we cannot be hidden from him; loth God fupport a Creature whom he knoweth not, in an affion he underflandeth not? therefore he is not regardlcfs of thy thoughts, words, and ways. 2. His moral government. He bath given a law to the reafinahle. Creature,: grad he Will take an account; whether it be kept or broken. And therefore Grace all perfans, 9 K ri 3`
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